A challenge in studying hair cell regeneration has been creating consistent and reliable ways to damage hair cells in laboratory mice. Overcoming this limitation, we developed a more uniform and effective method for hair cell death using the surgical delivery of a sisomicin antibiotic solution directly into the mouse inner ear.
Auditory Cue Use Changes With Age?
The results of our research suggest that individual differences in the ability to use auditory cues in noise may contribute to the range of communication challenges experienced by older adults.
A Cell Type–Specific Approach to Detail the Role of a Small Molecule in Hair Cells
Interestingly, some of the genes that were more active in the variant hair cells are typically more active in the supporting cells than in the hair cells. It could be that when miR-96 is a variant, some genes more specific to supporting cells, and which are typically kept turned off in hair cells, incorrectly become activated in hair cells.
A Protocol for Investigating Hair Cell Regeneration in Birds
The avian inner ear can naturally regenerate sensory hair cells and is therefore an ideal candidate for investigating mechanisms leading to hair cell regeneration and functional recovery.
Auditory Nerve Function Worsens With Age
We found consistent evidence that auditory nerve function worsens with age, but the impact of noise exposure was less clear and seemed to depend on the specifics of each study.
Sound and Light at 40 Hertz
Specifically, healthy brains hum with this frequency, which in turn activates many functions central to mental sharpness
Sound Encoding in the Auditory Midbrain
While individual neurons in the auditory midbrain may not accurately convey information about sound features, the collective activity of these neurons accurately represents sounds.
Brain Response Test Reveals Hearing Clarity
Babies are too young to do hearing tests until 8 to 10 months of age, and at such young ages, tracking brain waves to sounds is the only reliable way to assess hearing.
Effects of Cochlear Implantation and Steroids on the Aging Guinea Pig Cochlea
The causes behind residual hearing loss following cochlear implantation are complex and varied. Studies such as this one provide clues as to what to focus on in order to improve the acoustic experience of cochlear implant recipients.
Meeting Patients Inspires Approach to Treating Ménière’s Disease
I currently work with a mouse model with hearing fluctuation and have a clinical protocol that is performing deep phenotyping of patients with hearing instability, including patients with Ménière’s disease.